What made you start doing the training you're doing?

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Charmless Man

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Was just reading about male body image problems and how it's a massive problem among lads around my age, perhaps even bigger than for women but it goes unnoticed because 'boys aren't supposed to admit things like that'.

Got me thinking about why I really started training. I'd always thought it wasn't to do with self-esteem issues, I actually started because I wanted to put on some weight for Rugby but then fell in love with powerlifting as a discipline. However, I do feel a lot more confident in myself now so maybe I did have some underlying issues that made me start picking up barbells? I definitely used to feel like I was quite thin, even though I was an average, healthy weight and quite athletic.

Just wondering what got other people into it? Something to pass the time? Mates were doing it? Or did anyone feel really unhappy with how they looked?
 


Charmless Man said:
Was just reading about male body image problems and how it's a massive problem among lads around my age, perhaps even bigger than for women but it goes unnoticed because 'boys aren't supposed to admit things like that'.

Got me thinking about why I really started training. I'd always thought it wasn't to do with self-esteem issues, I actually started because I wanted to put on some weight for Rugby but then fell in love with powerlifting as a discipline. However, I do feel a lot more confident in myself now so maybe I did have some underlying issues that made me start picking up barbells? I definitely used to feel like I was quite thin, even though I was an average, healthy weight and quite athletic.

Just wondering what got other people into it? Something to pass the time? Mates were doing it? Or did anyone feel really unhappy with how they looked?
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I got started when I was trying jeans on in H&M and couldn't get into a 40 waist, then me daughter said I had bigger boobs than her mam, that sorta prompted me like.
 
Started as part of a cardio/dieting thing I was doing to shed a few Clem. Lifted weights in the house id had lying around for years. Just doing bench press, and a few curls. Just summit to burn some cals. Enjoyed it and started looking up more and types if lifts. Mainly all chest and arms. Lol.

Got skinny, and annoyed my lifts weren't going up. So started reading up things. Reps. Sets. Rest. Macros. Workout routines. Realised I'd been achieving pretty much nothing and was doing almost everything wrong.

I remember when I found out you had to eat in a surplus to gain muscle (and also fat). I was pretty upset that day!

Anyway, all the knowledge I picked up really started me off on wanting to achieve more strength, more size and putting all this knowledge to the test.

Then when you do see results, and your lifts start going up, you just wanna carry on.
 
Behdad Salimi snatching 214 kg at the 2011 World Weightlifting Championships.

 
I was just lying on the settee one evening browsing the iPad bored thinking "WTF am I doing", then I remembered hearing an advert on Sun FM for Pure Gym so signed up on impulse. It took a couple of days before I went due to "first time" fear but after the 3rd time going I'm loving it.
 
Wanted to stop being a fat bastard really! Once i started running, I loved it though, and do it for that reason now.
 
VodkaBob said:
Wanted to stop being a fat bastard really! Once i started running, I loved it though, and do it for that reason now.
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Do you just do running? Running is what I'm finding the hardest to do, I can only manage a few minutes before my legs start buckling but I put that down to my weight, it'd be like balancing a bowling ball on a cocktail stick.
 
smeg said:
Do you just do running? Running is what I'm finding the hardest to do, I can only manage a few minutes before my legs start buckling but I put that down to my weight, it'd be like balancing a bowling ball on a cocktail stick.
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Yeah, just running at the minute. I did intially start at a gym in the local welfare hall, it is just basically a cardo place, did like 10 mins on a bike, 10 on a treadmill, rowing machine etc, then built up running on the treadmill until I felt confident enough to try running outside.
 
Started age 17, to get buff and pull chicks. After 17 year, little progress, started stronglifts. Now I love squatting and deadlifting, all the rest is just supplemental
 
Was a fat bassa at 18 and a half stone. Started boxing and within just over a year was boxing at 11 stone. Had to pack in boxing competitively and needed something else to compete in, so I persued my interest in the sport of powerlifting.
 
i was always quite fit played football and jogged now and then but when i packed in tabs i went fron 13st to 14st 10 in a month, once i stepped off them scales i new it was time to start doing some proper running and getting rid of the weight, currently 12st 8 and looking to shed another half a stone, so basically i was becoming a fat bassa and i screwed on this and done summing about it.
 
I used to go to the gym twice a day to do weights cardio and also boxed competitively. When I became a dad I had less time and did no exercise, I found myself suffering from asthma and putting weight on. The biggest thing for me is being able to run a couple of miles without needing my inhaler.....I never need my inhaler now come to think of it
 
Charmless Man said:
Was just reading about male body image problems and how it's a massive problem among lads around my age, perhaps even bigger than for women but it goes unnoticed because 'boys aren't supposed to admit things like that'.

Got me thinking about why I really started training. I'd always thought it wasn't to do with self-esteem issues, I actually started because I wanted to put on some weight for Rugby but then fell in love with powerlifting as a discipline. However, I do feel a lot more confident in myself now so maybe I did have some underlying issues that made me start picking up barbells? I definitely used to feel like I was quite thin, even though I was an average, healthy weight and quite athletic.

Just wondering what got other people into it? Something to pass the time? Mates were doing it? Or did anyone feel really unhappy with how they looked?
Click to expand...
Great thread.

A bit like Ryeaye I've always been active. I didn't appreciate how much good nutrition including calorie surplus/deficit affected matters of course and didn't looks at my diet at all, not realising how little peddling away on the bike actually did for fat loss.

It's a shame it's took me till now (38) to train intelligently and change my body composition. I guess it was for vanity reasons I started lifting weights, but enjoy it so much now I can't imagine not doing it.

Most of all now it keeps me lean, looking confident, healthy and sets me up for the day. Somebody very close to home suffers from depression and the difference excercise makes is enormous to the everyday mood.
 
Titus said:
Was a fat bassa at 18 and a half stone. Started boxing and within just over a year was boxing at 11 stone. Had to pack in boxing competitively and needed something else to compete in, so I persued my interest in the sport of powerlifting.
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Did you have any interest in competitive boxing from a young age or was it just something you started doing when overweight? I've always fancied doing it (not competitively) but always felt I'd have a dis-advantage in starting late.
 
smeg said:
Did you have any interest in competitive boxing from a young age or was it just something you started doing when overweight? I've always fancied doing it (not competitively) but always felt I'd have a dis-advantage in starting late.
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Always been my favourite sport and always knew I'd compete eventually, but never got round to it.

Going back to the gym I had trained at when younger was a big help. Although I did a lot of strength & conditioning work when boxing, I much preferred the sparring. I loved going to the gym, sparring and going home.

Also, go for it. Don't convince yourself out of it, go to a club and you won't regret it.
 
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